Many beverage dispensers for bottled liquors, water, wine and other beverages are gravity fed such that an inverted beverage container is connected to the inlet located on the top surface of the dispenser. Such beverage dispensers also possess a pressure equalizing valve to allow air into the beverage container so as to ensure continual flow of the beverage contained therein. A valve, such as a faucet or spigot is provided on the beverage dispenser to provide controlled release of the beverage as desired by the user.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,903 to Bartolotta, a beverage dispenser is described with a base having a screw threaded inlet on the top surface for connection of a beverage container with a threaded outlet valve. The beverage dispenser necessarily has to be inverted to allow connection with the beverage container, otherwise uncontrolled release of the beverage would occur should an inverted container be connected with the upright dispenser. Furthermore this beverage dispenser can only be used with beverage containers having a matching screw thread diameter on the container opening, thus excluding its compatibility with other container opening sizes and types.
In another beverage dispenser described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,016,525 to Henderson, a simple device is provided with a base containing an internal L-shaped bore hole extending from the upper surface to the side surface. The side surface hole is capped by an outlet valve, yet the hole on the upper surface is open and requires the whole dispenser to be inverted to engage the opening of a beverage container. Furthermore the beverage is in open contact with the internal sides of the L-shaped bore during use and as the hole on the upper surface is open to the environment there is potential for contamination of the beverage by bacteria, insects, viruses and other agents. The diameter of the hole on the upper surface is fixed during manufacture, thus this limits the compatibility of the dispenser to beverage container openings with matching diameters.
Accordingly there is a need for a beverage dispensing system that overcomes the above shortcomings and provides a hygienic system compatible with a wide range of beverage container openings.